


Overcoming Expectations

by DramaticGarbage



Series: Overcoming a Legacy [2]
Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: A Ray Of Sunshine - ship name, Accidental Outing, Food mention, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-09
Updated: 2019-04-09
Packaged: 2020-01-07 10:35:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,052
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18408884
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DramaticGarbage/pseuds/DramaticGarbage
Summary: Spending a little time with each of the Prince brothers, here’s the first one, the eldest - Ray





	Overcoming Expectations

Ray slung his bag over his shoulder as he slid out of his car, walking into his usual hangout spot to get some school work done. The familiar chime of the bell that rung when he pushed the bakery door open made him smile softly, nodding to the cashier behind the pastry case before settling at his normal table.

 

He didn’t have anything he really needed to get done, but he did have a bit of time to waste and an optional worksheet that his psychology professor had said would be a nice exercise to get them in the mindset for their upcoming unit on Introspection. So he pulled out his binder and found the worksheet, grabbing a pen and beginning to look over it.

 

—

 

Psychology Introspection Worksheet

Answer with as long or short a response you need to feel you’ve answered the question - this information does not need to be handed in, but it could be an exercise worth devoting time to.

 

Background:

 

  * What is your full name? 



 

“Raymond Richard Prince.”

 

  * Where were you born?



 

“Baton Rouge, Louisiana.”

 

  * Do you still live near there? 



 

“No.”

 

  * If not, when did you move?



 

Ray had to think on that for a moment. He had to be... Roman hadn’t been born yet, right? So the twins were.. Almost 2? That sounded right.

 

“Age 4.”

 

  * Were/are your parents part of your life?



 

“Yes.”

 

  * Do you have any siblings? 



 

Ray let out a little exhale of laughter through his nose.

 

“Yes.”

 

  * If so, what are their names/age differences to you? 



 

“Ronald Remington, 2 years younger. Rufus Ryan/Russell Reese, 3 years younger. Roman Ryker, 6 years younger.”

 

  * Do you feel having/not having siblings helped shape the person you are today?



 

Ray paused to think. He had to assume so, right? He was the oldest, the one that his siblings had glommed onto when they were younger... They’d looked up to him and he’d done his best to be all he could for them, trying to be someone they’d be able to come to, or to at least make sure they knew that they could count on him. He’d always been taught to lead by example, his parents explaining his siblings would likely emulate him, so he needed to be aware of that.

 

“Yes.”

 

  * What is your sexual orientation? 



 

Oh, shoot. Uh, Ronnie had gone over this with him. But he still had a tendency to mix up a couple of the terms sometimes. He was... Ok, one of them was that someone was attracted to all genders, generally with all encompassing traits one enjoyed across all individuals.. And not having much preference for one gender over another. He was pretty sure. The other was that someone was attracted to two or more genders, but more commonly having different traits they preferred across different genders. And maybe having a preference? Maybe.. something about it fluctuating more sometimes? Right? That sounded right. Uhh...

 

“Bisexual.”

 

  * Was discovering this information something you’d consider a journey?



 

He tapped his pen on the table as he thought, remembering spending the first.. 26? Years of his life believing he was straight. But he had to call upon that memory. The first memory that came to him was much different.

 

It had been a Saturday in June... He was 19 at the time. Ronnie had come home with a huuuge box of things he’d gotten from a nearby Pride event, coming home to share all his spoils with his brothers. Ray, as well as the twins at least to his knowledge, had honestly never really thought much about sexuality. In contrast, Ronnie had been pretty open about his since he realized it was something he could be open about, and was very insistent on sharing things about the LGBT+ community with his family, determined to ensure they all knew there were more options open to them than what they knew.

 

But that day he’d come home with the box, completely full of pamphlets of information as well as fun little Pride things he’d procured. Ray had planned on reading through the information, he was curious above all else to learn things that he did not know, and he was starting to look over all the new terms. Ronnie had reached into the box, pulling out a large rainbow flag that had been folded up, shaking it out and tying it around his neck like a cape. As little Roman let out a laugh at his brother’s antics, Ronnie reached in and grabbed a matching flag, quickly opening it and tossing it to Roman.

 

Ray had never seen his youngest brother blush like that before or since... It becoming beyond clear that Ronnie had information he had believed to be common knowledge... While, in fact, it actually was not. Roman looked positively mortified, glancing upward at his three largest brothers, all of them quickly replacing their slight surprise with soft smiles. The smallest boy slowly tied the flag around himself with an embarrassed smile as his brothers went back to looking over the rest of the spread. Ray also was pretty sure he had seen 3 identical pamphlets that had a purple, white, and black flag on the front, but now there was only one in the stack. Oh well, as long as he still was able to read through one.

 

That was all beside the point, but he couldn’t help but smile slightly at the memory. If only he’d known then.

 

“No.”

 

 

  * Do you have a significant other (romantic or otherwise?) 



 

Ray couldn’t help but feel a warm smile take over his face.

 

“Yes.”

 

  * If so, how did you meet and then begin dating them?



 

He thought back. Technically he’d met his boyfriend not long after Roman had befriended him. But seeing as his age difference was much more dramatic when they were young, he’d never even considered paying any more attention to the boy beyond him being one of Ro’s friends. So really... He would say that they had truly met in college. Ray had finished his degree, actually had already finished his Master’s, but he had continued to take classes. It was just in his nature to be curious and want to learn everything he could. He’d found this little bakery and just started seeing him there a lot... Ended up having to have a talk about him with Ronnie... Maybe that previous journey question needed revisiting.

 

“Bakery near college, prolonged exposure.”

 

Personal Introspection:

 

  * Am I using my time wisely?



 

Learning, doing what he enjoyed, spending time with people who mattered to him...

 

“Yes.”

 

  * Am I living true to myself?



 

Yes? That was.. A thinker. He didn’t think he was doing anything that wasn’t what he truly wanted... He felt like he was happier now that he’d ever been before.

 

“Yes.”

 

  * Am I letting matters that are out of my control stress me out?



 

“No.”

 

  * Am I achieving the goals that I’ve set for myself?



 

Set for himself? ...Yes? He was.. Happy with how things were.

 

“Yes.”

 

  * Am I holding on to something I need to let go of?



 

He began tapping the pen on the table again, thinking. He knew he’d had issues at the beginning of university, but he was over that now? Hopefully?

 

Ray had dealt with the pressure of others for a lot of his life, always being directly compared to his parents and their accomplishments. It had taken him some time to realize that it wasn’t his parents’ fault though. They always wanted him to be happy and to do as he pleased. They’d never held him back or pushed him in a direction that wasn’t his choice. It was just outside people... Nurses and doctors he met if he ever went to visit his Dad at work asking if he was going to go to medical school and be like his parents, relatives that would ask him about relationships and ‘carrying on the family name’... Although, he suddenly realized he hadn’t seen any of them in several years.

 

He’d been upset and worried when he realized he had no desire to follow in their footsteps, frustrated by the pressure put on him. But he had had to tell them eventually... And he had been met with no opposition. It had bothered him for so long.. But it wasn’t even an actual problem. Did that.. That wasn’t an issue anymore though, he didn’t think. Right?

 

“No.”

 

  * To what degree have I actually controlled the course my life has taken?



 

Tap, tap.. Tap, tap..

 

“Complete.”

 

  * What have I given up on?



 

...This introspection thing was a lot. ...Maybe he’d come back to this one.

 

  * What’s the one thing I’d like others to remember about me at the end of my life?



 

Uhh...

 

“That I did what was right for me.”

 

  * Who has had the greatest impact on my life?



 

...His parents, his siblings, his friends, his significant others, his professors..

 

“Me.”

 

  * Who am I really?



 

“Myself and no one else.”

 

This was getting deep. But then again.. Ray wasn’t sure what else he expected. It was pretty much in the name of the assignment. He took a moment to stretch, glancing up at the clock to see how much time he’d managed to waste. ...He had a little while longer. Might as well keep going.

 

Interpersonal Introspection:

 

  * Am I putting enough effort into my relationships?



 

He paused, thinking. He didn’t especially think he did much... But he couldn’t stop a smile from spreading across his face as he thought about the reaction he’d receive if a certain someone ever heard him say that. He’d receive an entire lecture on why he was a good boyfriend... On how much he was cared about and showed that he cared... And he would enjoy every moment of it.

 

“Yes.”

  * What small act of kindness was I shown that I will never forget?



 

Where should he even begin? A smile, a laugh, a hug... Simple things were all it took to completely make his day anymore. The things that made everything worth it. But a bigger thing.. Something that would be a bit more of a ‘real answer.’

 

“Taking time out of their day to sit and listen to me, letting me gush about things I find interesting and asking questions.”

 

 

  * Have I made someone smile today?



 

He glanced at the time again.

 

“In about a minute or so.”

 

  * Have I done anything lately worth remembering?



 

Another little breath of laughter escaped him.

 

“See above question.”

 

He had just finished writing down his last answer when suddenly there was a person in his lap. Because of his long legs, Ray had a bad habit of sitting slightly farther from the table and hunching over. Not a good plan for his back, but it did allow someone just the right amount of space to duck under his arm, plant themself in his lap, and wrap their arms around his neck, giving them the perfect opening to plant a big kiss right on his cheek.

 

Ray dropped his pen to move his arms around his boyfriend, holding him close.

 

“Hello, love!” Patton smiled wide, looking up into his eyes.

 

“Hello, sunshine. How was your shift?” Ray asked, unable to keep a smile off his face as he looked down at the man in his lap.

 

“Good! I was mostly just decorating some custom cakes in the back, but we can talk more about it on our way home! Are you almost done with your homework?” Patton asked, adorably kicking his feet somewhat, seeing as they didn’t touch the floor with him in his boyfriend’s lap.

 

“Just one question left, and I’ll start packing up.” He answered, nodding.

 

“Ok! I made you a tea and grabbed your favorite danish to go! I’ll grab them from the countertop and we can head out!” Patton leaned up for a quick kiss before sliding off his lap, walking over to the counter.

 

Ray glanced down at the work sheet to read the final question.

 

 

  * Is it more important to love or be loved?



 

Looking back up at his boyfriend, seeing him so happily gathering their treats... He jotted down one final word and then slid the worksheet and binder back into his bag, standing up to take his boyfriend’s hand and leave the bakery.

 

“Yes.”


End file.
